Why do people do this?

I hate to say it but dont even try to understand, you wont. I have only been involved in rescue for a little under a year now, and I have already given up trying to understand why people dump their pets for stupid reasons. It doesnt make sense/will never make sense.
 
However, I know this is a dog forum, but when I start to go off about dogs being abandonded to my father, he reminds me children get abandonded, abused, neglected, tortured, exc. I try to remember this also.
 
I personally believe that when someone surrenders their dog to the shelter/"gives their pet away" that they should have to sign a contract stating they will not own a dog for x amount of years. Of course some people do have an excuse, things happen, but for the people who want to give their dog away because they are "having a baby" and wont even give the dog a chance, that is selfish and they should be somehow forced not to own a dog for a while. However, this will never be enforced because although we all love animals, as I said there are children who are being treated far worse.
 
The sad part about petfinder classifieds though (I had to post my foster dog on there, long, story/bad rescue) is that lots of very bad people email every single person in the classifieds. I got 2 extremely strange emails, one from a lady claiming she lived in Texas yet her address was ".uk". Another man wanted me to hurry up and send him my foster dog. I didnt ask them any questions or even consider it; I told them both there is a special place in Haites (sp?) for people who abuse animals, elderly people and children and that they would get what was comming to them.
 
The people who want to place their dogs for stupid reasons it seems to me are more likely to send them to someone like that. I feel so sorry for the dogs. (Sorry I got a bit off topic)

ORIGINAL: bragg1120

I ran into this problem when I was looking for my first dog years ago.  I went through 3 rescues and a shelter, was turned down and chastized (for being under age 21) by all 3! 

FINALLY someone else that knows what I'm talking about! I would love to adopt one that looks similar to FeFe (she's the one in the pic) and every time I find one... I'm turned down or too late.  Even when hoping to adopt an adult or senior!  I really do wonder what their priorities are? 

Yes!  You guys too?!  I thought I was the only one getting turned away and told over and over "he/she has already been adopted".  There was a dog right before we found our Sam, named Scamp, another schnauzer.  I wanted him SO bad.  He was 4 years old and apparently the sweetest dog ever.  He was housetrained, had all his shots, and was great with children and other dogs.  Perfect fit!  I scrambled to fax all my info to them, emailed them, called them (shelter in PA), and all I got back was an email saying "I'm sorry... we don't adopt out of state".  WHAT?!  So I emailed back "So, instead of me driving an hour, paying you your $150 dollars, and giving Scamp a loving and caring home with plenty of hugs and kisses... you'd rather him sit there and wait until someone from in state applies to adopt him?  I'm an hour away!  I'd love to have him... why can't I?"  No one ever emailed me back. [:@]  If I had adopted him, I would not have Sam the Slam, so... I guess it worked out like it was supposed to. 

It does make you wonder if they're actually trying to move some of these poor animals.  Just sitting there and waiting. Ugh... makes me sick.

Funny, I just got reamed out on another dog board for being too harsh with someone who came on looking for support in her decision to drop off her 11 year old minpin at a shelter because it was ill and soiling all over the house. When I questioned that she changed the story from he's never been housetrained to it's just in the last 3 years. Oh and also all three of her unneutered males have always marked all over the house. Oh and it was a stray she never really wanted in the first place, as though I was supposed to think she was a saint for taking him in? [:@] Amazingly, a bunch of people got on my case for saying she wasn't meeting her dog's needs and he deserved a loving home.... I'm sorry but there aren't too many circumstances in which I can sympathize dumping a dog you've had for over a decade.

ORIGINAL: jones

Funny, I just got reamed out on another dog board for being too harsh with someone who came on looking for support in her decision to drop off her 11 year old minpin at a shelter because it was ill and soiling all over the house.

I saw that one too.

--Sara

There are too many surprises in life. Nobody knows what will happen in the future. All we have is today. For some, dogs are property, and for others they are family members that can not be replaced. There are jobs out there that people cannot quit no matter what their reasons are.  Sometimes the dog really does pose a danger to the baby or child in question. Babies also are not always planned. If you are first time parents, the thought of having a baby and a dog at the same time is overwhelming. All circumstances are different.

I am sure that there are people who give their pets away for ridiculous reasons. But there are those who really do try to do the best they can to make the right decision and find the dog a good new home. Who knows? Maybe the new home will benefit the dog more than its previous home.

--Sara

I think everyone considering getting rid of their dog because of the demands of a new baby should read Max's story.  Max's previous life isn't well known, but he did have a home and when a new baby entered Max was sent packing.  Thankfully, for everyone involved, a certain family adopted him. 

Here's his story:
[linkhttp://www.geocities.com/annechiensmith/Nomination061.html]http://www.geocities.com/annechiensmith/Nomination061.html[/link]

It is believed that Gracie my pointer was probably purchased as a hunting dog, didn't make the grade, mated for pups (she was practically a pup, herself) and then dumped when the pups were weaned.  Even though she points beautifully, she is gun shy and sound sensitive. 

She has a remarkablely gentle, loving and stable temperment so I consider her my fabulous find, but it makes me physically sick to think that people would take her pups away and dump her in a field somewhere to fend for herself.

When I adopted Rupert, the foster mom made it VERY clear that it was a LIFE LONG commitment. Which I already knew. But I was very impressed. Even on their application you have to fill out questions about life changes and then she explained the dog should be included IN those changes.

There are RARE occasion though were I can understand. If you can't give the dog the best possible life, and with my husband being military, I also see alot of people having to move overseas and can't take their pets. [&:]

I have read many stories about people getting rid of dogs when they have babies. I can understand if a dog is a potential threat to a baby, but when I read of those instances I can't help wondering if the problem isn't that the people were clueless owners who didn't train their dog well to begin with, and of course the dog suffers.

But in a lot of cases I just get the feeling that people plunge into dog ownership without thinking. They know they're planning to have kids and aren't prepared for the work it takes for kids and a dog. Because in our society dogs are still disposable, the dog often goes simply because it's inconvenient.

Plus, parents, friends and even pediatricians don't help. They're often quick to tell people to get rid of the dog when the baby's coming. In one horrifying case that was in the local papers last year in NY, a couple that adopted a dog became concerned when the wife got pregnant that they couldn't handle the dog. They returned it to the agency, then a day later had a change of heart, but when they called back, they found that the dog had mistakenly been euthanized, when they were told it was going to be adopted it. They were devastated.

I used to have a cat that I rescued.   When I moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, she came with me and when we got to LA we rescued another cat.   I love them so much.  Then everything started going wrong (well, it actually started in Chicago, but in California things got really bad).   I was in an abusive relationship, I had absolutely no support system aside from my best friend who was moving away, I had the worst depressive episode of my life and I was about to fail out of school because I couldn't make myself leave the house.   Eventually, I got out of the relationship and I found out I had been offered a place at a university in London, where my best friend was moving.   I gave my cats away to go start a new life because I thought that if I stayed in California I would just get worse.    I still feel so awful about it - I can't think about the day they left without crying.    My mom helped me find a wonderful woman who could take them as a pair because I couldn't stand separating them, but I still wish I could go get them back.   Looking back, I see that I had more options than I realized at the time, but back then it was either go to London without them and get away from this place or end up in a hospital.   I was only 21.

I think about them a lot and I guess this is just oversharing, but I could never give up a pet again.    Perhaps this is one of the reasons I started to volunteer for  a cat rescue.

There are real difficulties that interfere in people's lives and makes giving up pets a reasonable and even healthy decision.    Unfortunately, most of the time it is just the result of poor planning, not having the resources to make it work or plain not caring.

I'd live in a tent if necessary, or not move. Quit the job and get a new one if necessary.

 
Yeah, but you happen to be a doggy angel, as well, and a person who has the integrity and loyalty of a dog and I mean that as a compliment. Too bad more people are not like you in this regard.
 

I am so happy to see this topic come up and so many people with a similar view! I understand that there are circumstances where surrendering the dog is necessary but so many tiem sit is not.  I volunteer at a greyhound rescue and a few months back we had a woman return her 2 greyhounds because she was newly married and her husband decide he didn't want the dogs around. The female greyhound is 9 years old and has lived with that woman for over 7 years! The other dog is 7 and lived with the woman for about 5 years. In addition to being older dogs, both have medical problems and the female is very shy and really needs to go to a home with the boy grey. Now what are the chances that someone will adopt 2 older dogs, with medical problems??? After being in a home for so long they are now crated again and may end up spending their life in that rescue. It breaks my heart. I would take them but neither is cat safe. ALL the greys that I have adopted throughout the years have had previous (if not MULTIPLE homes) and are not adoptable to the average person becasue they have lots of issue. Infact I am bringing home another one tonight and she is worse than any others I have owned.  Thank you for starting this topic. It brightens my heart to see that there are so many good and responsible dog owners out there! Working in rescue it is sometimes hard to see that!       

ORIGINAL: agilebasenji

I think everyone considering getting rid of their dog because of the demands of a new baby should read Max's story.  Max's previous life isn't well known, but he did have a home and when a new baby entered Max was sent packing.  Thankfully, for everyone involved, a certain family adopted him. 

Here's his story:
[linkhttp://www.geocities.com/annechiensmith/Nomination061.html]http://www.geocities.com/annechiensmith/Nomination061.html[/link]

 
Wow, that is an amazing story! I got chills when I read it. I'll bet the family that gave up Max would be pretty upset with themselves if they saw this.

ORIGINAL: RupsMom
There are RARE occasion though were I can understand. If you can't give the dog the best possible life, and with my husband being military, I also see alot of people having to move overseas and can't take their pets. [&:]

 
I agree that there are circumstances where the dog may not have a good life and may be better off with another family. There are a lot of awful dog owners out there that never should've gotten dogs to begin with.
 
As a responsible dog owner, though, I can think of no situation that would ever make me give up my boys. They will be with us when we have children, when we move and whatever else happens in our lives. Even in the military (DH is active duty), you can take them pretty much anywhere. There's a whole brigade moving to Germany next month from Washington and a lot of them are taking pets with them.

Sasha, my last dog, was ten when DS#1 arrived ont he scene.  I had many people (including my boss at the time[:@]) ask when (not IF) I was getting rid of Sasha.  I told them that Sasha would leave when she died...of old age. She lived six years and three months afterwards and helped give my boys the love they ahve for animals.  She was truly a nanny dog.